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A Progressive Education for 3 Months to Grade 12

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Jon Kidder with mascot

From Head of School Jon Kidder

As Head at Barrie, I have one of the best jobs in the world. On any given day, I have the privilege of watching our teachers inspiring a love of nature in our youngest students through excursions to our pond, our elementary teachers in a robust faculty meeting on fostering intrinsic motivation, or our middle and high school teachers engaging students in academically rich classroom projects.

As an educator, I am continually renewed when faculty, students, and parents work together to galvanize a community of scholars—where learning becomes infectious and we can focus on the relentless pursuit of a set of core goals. Whether explored through an inspiring class experience, a joyous day of summer camp, or school-year internship for an 11th in political science or a 12th grader in marine biology, Barrie’s location just north of Washington, D.C. presents nearly endless possibilities for student engagement.

Magic can happen both in and out of the classroom—and this magic is an opportunity for a school whose mission is to change lives. Our veteran faculty are at the forefront in educational innovation. We run the Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, one of the largest school-based teacher training centers in the United States. In the classrooms, whether our students are learning the fundamentals of number theory in their elementary years or participating in a field trip to Quebec, Costa Rica, or Ghana in their middle and high school years— we believe that learning can be transformative and that our students shouldn’t have to choose between working hard in an academically rigorous program and experiencing the joy in learning.

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What a privilege for my family and me to be a part of such a warm, inviting community of fellow families and strong team of faculty and staff. In the years ahead, I look forward to collaborating with Barrie School’s teachers and parents to provide a holistic and inspiring education for all students, from the tiniest toddlers to our graduating seniors.

jon kidder

Jon Kidder
Head of School

Head's Welcome

jon kidder